Posted on May 30, 2024
Ørsted has pledged to $2 million to two Connecticut community non-profits – the Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) and the Community Renewal Team (CRT) – if their offshore wind proposal, Starboard Wind, is selected by the state.
Ørsted says each agency would receive $1 million to help them deliver services and resources in eastern Connecticut if the Danish wind power company is selected.
CRT would use the money to support electricity ratepayer relief for low-income residents, workforce development, and other services. TVCCA’s funding would support low-income residents with an energy assistance fund, energy efficiency and electrification upgrades as well as childcare programming.
“Our mission at Ørsted is not only to build clean energy infrastructure that delivers jobs and economic development, but to ensure that our projects bring tangible benefits in other ways to the communities where we operate,” said David Ortiz, Ørsted’s Head of Government Affairs and Market Strategy for the Northeast. “Partnering with TVCCA and CRT allows us to deepen the impact we’re making in Connecticut communities. We are committed to supporting Connecticut’s transition to a sustainable future and enhancing the quality of life for its residents.”
TVCCA CEO Joshua Kelly welcomed the news, as did CRT President and CEO Lena Rodriguez.
“The collaboration with Ørsted represents a significant step forward in our mission to fight poverty and help our community thrive,” Kelly said. “With Ørsted’s support, we can enhance our workforce development programs and other essential wraparound services and continue to offer essential services that make a real difference in the lives of many individuals and families across Connecticut.”
Rodriguez said “Ørsted’s Starboard Wind proposal will enable us to expand our efforts in providing critical services such as weatherization, directly addressing the needs of our community and paving the way for a more resilient future.”
Ørsted has been active in the northeast’s offshore wind industry, having thus far installed a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind that is powering homes on Long Island.
The company reached another milestone recently with “steel in the ground” for its next project, Revolution Wind, which will be a 65-turbine wind farm off the Rhode Island coastline, providing electricity to both Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Ørsted also partnered with Eversource and the State of Connecticut to redevelop the State Pier in New London over the last few years as a staging area for the offshore wind industry.
State Pier is where parts for wind turbines are assembled before being shipped out for assembly in the Atlantic.
The Starboard Wind project would be the largest project from Ørsted to date and was one of several projects submitted in March under a tri-state RFP from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
It was the only project that would utilize the State Pier.
Ørsted has previously donated to other projects and organizations in Connecticut as part of their community relations building effort.
The Connecticut Wind Collaborative based in Groton was awarded $577,500 in seed money from Ørsted and Eversource as part of their supply chain and workforce development commitments tied to Revolution Wind.
Marine Science, a non-profit oceanology education project, received $950,000 to help support STEM programs for local schools.
And both the University of Connecticut and Mystic Aquarium received over $1 million each for research studies into the effects of offshore wind farms on marine life.
